As we know RE the car numbers between two teammates, the person who scored the higherst amount of points has the higher ranking (ie lower number) in the majority of cases.

However, Mercedes has not done this since their reintroduction, because of ''Schumacher's superstitions''. Before their driver lineup was announced for 2013, I remember reading that Rosberg was talking with Brawn so that, should Rosberg come ahead of Schumacher, he would get the higher number for '13. Fair enough.

Now Hamilton has replaced Schumacher, and by the rules, despite the agreement, Hamilton should get the higher number because he scored the higher number of points in '12. But he hasn't. Although It looks like like Brawn has kept his word, I disagree with this. If it had been Schumacher as his teammate, then yes Rosberg should have the higher ranking, but since Hamilton is his teammate now, for 2013, Hamiton should have no 9, not Rosberg.

As we know RE the car numbers between two teammates, the person who scored the higherst amount of points has the higher ranking (ie lower number) in the majority of cases.

However, Mercedes has not done this since their reintroduction, because of ''Schumacher's superstitions''. Before their driver lineup was announced for 2013, I remember reading that Rosberg was talking with Brawn so that, should Rosberg come ahead of Schumacher, he would get the higher number for '13. Fair enough.

Now Hamilton has replaced Schumacher, and by the rules, despite the agreement, Hamilton should get the higher number because he scored the higher number of points in '12. But he hasn't. Although It looks like like Brawn has kept his word, I disagree with this. If it had been Schumacher as his teammate, then yes Rosberg should have the higher ranking, but since Hamilton is his teammate now, for 2013, Hamiton should have no 9, not Rosberg.

More often than not, when a team has both an existing driver and new driver, the existing gets the lower number. Look it up. Unless they're a reigning WDC it usually is the case.

_________________"We can not drive slower, just to make the races more exciting." Alain Prost

Rosberg scored more points in 2012 in a Mercedes than Hamilton did in a Mercedes.

Hamilton fans should be pleased he has the number 10 - every year Hamilton has had an even number on his car he has driven well (2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012), every year he has had an odd number he has had a terrible year (2009, 2011).

I doubt Hamilton cares what number he has on his car, he is not a particularly superstitious person. The only reason it was a big deal with Schumacher was it was a way of him exerting psychological dominance over Rosberg. Hamilton is coming in as an equal to Rosberg, what message would it send to Rosberg if they were to bring in Hamilton and immediately gift him the higher number?

Rosberg scored more points in 2012 in a Mercedes than Hamilton did in a Mercedes.

Hamilton fans should be pleased he has the number 10 - every year Hamilton has had an even number on his car he has driven well (2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012), every year he has had an odd number he has had a terrible year (2009, 2011).

I doubt Hamilton cares what number he has on his car, he is not a particularly superstitious person. The only reason it was a big deal with Schumacher was it was a way of him exerting psychological dominance over Rosberg. Hamilton is coming in as an equal to Rosberg, what message would it send to Rosberg if they were to bring in Hamilton and immediately gift him the higher number?

Rosberg scored more points in 2012 in a Mercedes than Hamilton did in a Mercedes.

Hamilton fans should be pleased he has the number 10 - every year Hamilton has had an even number on his car he has driven well (2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012), every year he has had an odd number he has had a terrible year (2009, 2011).

I doubt Hamilton cares what number he has on his car, he is not a particularly superstitious person. The only reason it was a big deal with Schumacher was it was a way of him exerting psychological dominance over Rosberg. Hamilton is coming in as an equal to Rosberg, what message would it send to Rosberg if they were to bring in Hamilton and immediately gift him the higher number?

It has been like this for quite a while. The newest addition to the team will receive the corresponding even number. Unless two drivers have been added to the team and then the numbers can be decided.

I think a lot of people forget that Alonso had the number 8 in 2010 when Massa had the number 7.

I seriously, haven't paid much attention to the numbers, other than noticing whoever is wearing the #1, I rarely notice a number.

But I also thought that was the standard method... higher scorer when they were both returning, or both new to a team would get the lower number.... and then a newcomer to a team getting the higher number when a driver joined a returning driver regardless of points the previous season.

I don't reckon #9 or #10 will matter when it comes to setting up the cars or team orders next season. It certainly didn't seem to slow Hamilton any that he had #4 and Button had #3 this year, in fact. Though I was a bit thrown off when watching practice in Austin, thinking that Hamilton must be #3 and Button #4, but that the helmets didn't match. But I guess it had been long enough since the 2011 season that I had forgotten what a toll the DNFs took on Hamilton's scoring and that Button probably had outpointed him.

(Off topic a bit, I do wish the numbers were more visible on the sides of more cars, the McLarens were pretty easily visible, the Williams of course, but with the bulk of the rest, a fan at the track had to rely on helmets and camera mounts to separate most teammates, and that becomes harder with so many using special helmets for certain races.)

Last edited by Z3RoadstarTXF1 on Mon Dec 03, 2012 5:30 am, edited 3 times in total.

It has been like this for quite a while. The newest addition to the team will receive the corresponding even number. Unless two drivers have been added to the team and then the numbers can be decided.

I think a lot of people forget that Alonso had the number 8 in 2010 when Massa had the number 7.

Same thing happened at the start of 2009, when Vettel joined Red Bull. Webber got #14, Vettel #15 despite Vettel scoring more points in 2008.

Typically, teams give the driver who has been part of the team for longer the lower number, unless the new driver was world champion the previous season. It was Schumi who was the oddity in recent times (since he claimed to be superstitious of having an even number). There's nothing to see here.

Same thing happened at the start of 2009, when Vettel joined Red Bull. Webber got #14, Vettel #15 despite Vettel scoring more points in 2008.

When I read this, it raised my eyebrows.After looking it up, I don't know how it's possible I have missed that there is no #13 car. Not exactly an F1 newbie... Guess I don't care much for the numbers.

F1 (along with a surprising amount of normal people) has a silly aversion to the number 13.Only two drivers have taken to the track with '13' on their car: Divina Galica and Moises Solana.Galica DNQ'd, so Solana is the only driver in F1 to have rqced with 13 on his car.